Building Construction Occupations & Plumbing

Job Title: Building Construction Occupations & Plumbing Instructor

Reports To: Director of Career and Technical Education

Department: Career and Technical Education (CTE), High School

Career Cluster: Architecture & Construction (CIP Codes: 46.9999 & 46.0503)
Job Purpose
The Building Construction Occupations & Plumbing Instructor will launch and co-teach in a dynamic Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. This role is uniquely designed to provide comprehensive preparation in the construction technology field, with a strict and specialized instructional emphasis on plumbing technology. The instructor will deliver rigorous technical instruction, safety protocols, and hands-on, scenario-based training to prepare students for licensed plumbing careers, standard residential/commercial building occupations, and post-secondary construction trade pathways.
Qualifications & Certification Requirements MANDATORY STATE CERTIFICATION STATUS Candidates must possess or fulfill the requirements for the following Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) certifications to teach the full scope of this dual-focused program:
• Plumbing (Vocational Certification Code 2055): Required to deliver the specialized plumbing curriculum.
• Building Construction Occupations (Vocational Certification Code 2014) OR Technology Education (Certification Code 6075): Required to deliver general building trades curriculum.
• Regulatory Note: Per PDE regulations, instructors are limited to teaching within their verified certification areas and are only authorized to manage this multi-craft program if they hold two or more valid certifications within the cluster (e.g., Plumbing 2055 AND Building Construction Occupations 2014). Legacy certifications Industrial Arts/Technology Education 6005 and Electrical Construction/Maintenance 2031 remain valid if held.
• Experience: Minimum of four (4) years of recent, full-time, wage-earning occupational experience in plumbing, general building contracting, or a directly corresponding construction trade field (Required). Highly prioritized background as a licensed plumber.
• Education: High school diploma or GED (Required); Associate or Bachelor’s degree (Preferred).
• Teacher Certification: Ability and willingness to complete a Pennsylvania-approved CTE teacher certification program (Required). Per the collective bargaining agreement, tuition is reimbursed in full by the district.
• Skills: Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills with the explicit ability to work with high school students in a structured, safety-focused shop environment. Must be able to work in a co-teaching environment.
• Preferred Background: Prior teaching, apprenticeship instruction, or industry training experience.
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.
Performance Responsibilities & Duties
1. Curriculum Delivery & Core Instruction (With Plumbing Emphasis)
• Deliver high-quality instruction explicitly aligned with PDE’s CTE Task Lists for both Construction Trades, Other (CIP 46.9999) and Plumbing Technology/Plumber (CIP 46.0503).
• Provide a heavily weighted focus on plumbing technologies, instructing students in laying out, assembling, installing, and maintaining piping fixtures and systems for steam, natural gas, hot water, heating, cooling, drainage, and industrial processing.
• Provide foundational instruction in secondary construction skills, including basic carpentry, masonry, heating, and electrical operations as they interface with building systems.
• Teach critical technical competencies including blueprint reading, source determination, water distribution, waste removal, pressure adjustment, basic physics, technical mathematics, cost estimating, and adherence to plumbing codes and industry standards.
2. Technical & Scenario-Based Training
• Lead practical, hands-on shop sessions instructing students in the correct utilization of hand and power tools, cutting, fitting, fastening, and finishing structural components and piping systems.
• Incorporate rigorous simulations and practical testing concerning the physical properties of materials, welding, soldering, and structural inspections.
• Prepare, adapt, and submit comprehensive lesson plans that meet state framework standards, program tasks, and individualized student learning objectives.
3. Safety & Shop Management
• Establish, strictly enforce, and document rigorous safety protocols governing all tools, machinery, materials, and specialized plumbing apparatus.
• Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and respectful learning environment utilizing modern classroom management strategies tailored for an active vocational shop.
• Maintain detailed student safety training logs, tracking mandatory equipment proficiencies and industry-recognized credentials.
4. Industry Partnerships & Program Administration
• Collaborate with local general contractors, mechanical agencies, and licensed plumbing professionals to facilitate guest lectures, workplace field trips, and direct student exposure to active job sites.
• Establish and coordinate an Occupational Advisory Committee (OAC) to ensure curriculum relevancy and local labor market alignment.
• Follow all district, state, and federal guidelines for Career and Technical Education programs, ensuring complete compliance with state documentation, funding audits, and programmatic reporting.
• Grade and evaluate student performance fairly, providing timely practical feedback on physical craft execution and technical examinations.
5. Recruitment & Program Promotion
• Work cooperatively with CTE colleagues, guidance counselors, and administration to support the active recruitment, enrollment, and retention of students in the program.
• Attend and enthusiastically participate in student orientation nights, regional recruitment events, and district promotional activities.
• Performs such other tasks and assumes such other responsibilities as the Director of CTE may assign.
Terms of Employment
Salary and calendar year shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the current McKeesport Area Education Association (MAEA) Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Evaluation
Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the McKeesport Area School District Board’s policy on Professional Teacher Evaluation